All gamers are used to web3 already — they just don’t know it yet.
A 🧵 on why gamers are well-positioned to become the true fans of web3, and why that matters.
A 🧵 on why gamers are well-positioned to become the true fans of web3, and why that matters.
(Preface)
I spent the last 7yrs at Riot helping ship LoL/Valorant and am a lifelong gamer.
There's been much skepticism about web3, and it makes sense - we're at the beginning. That said, I'm optimistic web3 will lead to new & positive player experiences for the reasons below.
I spent the last 7yrs at Riot helping ship LoL/Valorant and am a lifelong gamer.
There's been much skepticism about web3, and it makes sense - we're at the beginning. That said, I'm optimistic web3 will lead to new & positive player experiences for the reasons below.
✅ Spent countless hours on MMOs for fun ➡️ “metaverse” ready.
WoW, RuneScape, LoL, MC, DotA2, Clash
Our alternate lives where we grinded years towards status/rewards that were deeply meaningful to us but didn’t translate to real-world value/ownership.
Web3 can change this.
WoW, RuneScape, LoL, MC, DotA2, Clash
Our alternate lives where we grinded years towards status/rewards that were deeply meaningful to us but didn’t translate to real-world value/ownership.
Web3 can change this.
✅ Native to virtual currencies ➡️ tokens & wallets.
Virtual currencies are prevalent in modern free-to-play games but offer no real-world value.
Web3 game tokens (i.e., SLP) are contributing to real-world value today by creating new jobs abroad.
bit.ly/3n7jzbu
Virtual currencies are prevalent in modern free-to-play games but offer no real-world value.
Web3 game tokens (i.e., SLP) are contributing to real-world value today by creating new jobs abroad.
bit.ly/3n7jzbu
✅ Will overcome onboarding hurdles to get to the “fun” ➡️ buying NFTs/learning DeFi.
Gamers are willing to put up with painful onboarding like installing mods to play their fav. games.
Interesting parts of web3 are less accessible to newcomers -- yield farming, staking, etc.
Gamers are willing to put up with painful onboarding like installing mods to play their fav. games.
Interesting parts of web3 are less accessible to newcomers -- yield farming, staking, etc.
✅ Familiar w/intricate game economies/design ➡️ tokenomics/token design.
Similar to well-designed tokens, great games have incentive structures to keep players engaged for years.
Gamers are used to world-class incentive design and masters of optimizing for the best outcomes.
Similar to well-designed tokens, great games have incentive structures to keep players engaged for years.
Gamers are used to world-class incentive design and masters of optimizing for the best outcomes.
✅ Spent hours remixing/modding in-and-around games ➡️ composability.
Aside from mods, consider some of the most popular modern games where creation is not a feature but core gameplay.
In web3, you will be incentivized, not punished, to modify games & IP (i.e., Loot Project).
Aside from mods, consider some of the most popular modern games where creation is not a feature but core gameplay.
In web3, you will be incentivized, not punished, to modify games & IP (i.e., Loot Project).
✅ Connoisseurs of virtual goods ➡️ NFTs.
Gamers have spent hundreds of billions renting virtual items from publishers and corporations.
NFTs now empower gamers with actual ownership and liquidity. They also grant indie game makers agency via cutting out several intermediaries.
Gamers have spent hundreds of billions renting virtual items from publishers and corporations.
NFTs now empower gamers with actual ownership and liquidity. They also grant indie game makers agency via cutting out several intermediaries.
✅ Played the in-game auction houses ➡️ exchanges & marketplaces.
Gamers are not just used to game economies but financial markets.
WoW = Auction House
EVE Online = The Market
RuneScape = Grand Exchange
I suspect some of the best NFT traders were prolific traders on MMOs.
Gamers are not just used to game economies but financial markets.
WoW = Auction House
EVE Online = The Market
RuneScape = Grand Exchange
I suspect some of the best NFT traders were prolific traders on MMOs.
✅ The power-users of guilds/forums/Discord ➡️ DAOs.
MMO players are native to collabs, and guilds had robust systems from coordinating raids, assigning ranks, distributing loot.
w/DAOs, you are no longer at the mercy of a power-tripping Guild Master!
MMO players are native to collabs, and guilds had robust systems from coordinating raids, assigning ranks, distributing loot.
w/DAOs, you are no longer at the mercy of a power-tripping Guild Master!
✅ Gamer identities ➡️ anonymity/pseudonymity/reputation.
Gaming and web3 are often meritocratic; it doesn’t matter who you are IRL. Greater the contribution in-game, the greater your reputation.
Now greater the contribution in web3, the greater your reputation, AND rewards.
Gaming and web3 are often meritocratic; it doesn’t matter who you are IRL. Greater the contribution in-game, the greater your reputation.
Now greater the contribution in web3, the greater your reputation, AND rewards.
✅ Gamer memes & languages ➡️ web3 memes & languages.
gg, ggwp, glhf 🤝 gm, gn, wgmi
The positive vibes and energy in web3 are unlike anything else on the web!
gg, ggwp, glhf 🤝 gm, gn, wgmi
The positive vibes and energy in web3 are unlike anything else on the web!
✅ Decision making in complex real-time multiplayer situations ➡️ mints, voting, airdrops.
Gamers are no strangers to working together (or PvP) in a complex environment towards a goal.
In web3, those who can coordinate effectively with others are often the most successful.
Gamers are no strangers to working together (or PvP) in a complex environment towards a goal.
In web3, those who can coordinate effectively with others are often the most successful.
✅ Game dev roadmaps ➡️ web3 dev roadmaps & white papers.
The best game devs are the ones who consistently under-promise and over-deliver — this will be even more pronounced in web3 games as communities will "king-make" the most player-focused ones by voting with their tokens.
The best game devs are the ones who consistently under-promise and over-deliver — this will be even more pronounced in web3 games as communities will "king-make" the most player-focused ones by voting with their tokens.
✅ Early adopters of the creator economy ➡️ social tokens.
Twitch and YouTube both greatly benefited from the rise of the early web2 gaming influencers.
Web3 native influencers will be better compensated, more diverse, and broader in reach -- look at @AxieInfinity influencers.
Twitch and YouTube both greatly benefited from the rise of the early web2 gaming influencers.
Web3 native influencers will be better compensated, more diverse, and broader in reach -- look at @AxieInfinity influencers.
✅ Vocal and passionate user base ➡️ community-led governance.
Top MMOs are already doing collab. governance -- old school RS runs every update through in-game polling booths.
Gamers being vocal can help identify obvious scams and (soon to be fixed) energy debate around web3.
Top MMOs are already doing collab. governance -- old school RS runs every update through in-game polling booths.
Gamers being vocal can help identify obvious scams and (soon to be fixed) energy debate around web3.
✅ Game devs ➡️ the architects of web3.
Blockchain, mobile, free-to-play, social, and play-to-earn. New tech/biz models are only as good (and bad) as what game devs do with them.
As not all free-to-play games were predatory, it doesn’t make sense to use absolutes for web3.
Blockchain, mobile, free-to-play, social, and play-to-earn. New tech/biz models are only as good (and bad) as what game devs do with them.
As not all free-to-play games were predatory, it doesn’t make sense to use absolutes for web3.
/Wrap
@jasonoliver and I are bullish on web3 founders building for gamers because:
✅ Gamers are used to fundamental elements of web3 already.
➡️ Web3 builds on those elements that gamers already know.
🙏 @magdalenakala @BoredElonMusk @blakeir @KentitoRollins for the review!
@jasonoliver and I are bullish on web3 founders building for gamers because:
✅ Gamers are used to fundamental elements of web3 already.
➡️ Web3 builds on those elements that gamers already know.
🙏 @magdalenakala @BoredElonMusk @blakeir @KentitoRollins for the review!
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